Dark Mode is the theme of this season and you can get the feature on WhatsApp as well. Here is how you can enable dark theme on WhatsApp for Android or iOS in simple steps.

WhatsApp is the latest in the growing list of applications gaining support for Dark mode. Dark Mode, has in fact, become the flavor of the season. Google is adding a system wide dark theme in Android Q, while Apple has done the same with its iOS 13. The biggest reason that makes dark mode attractive is that it puts white text on a black background. This is in contrast to the paper appearance of white text on a black background. While there are no obvious benefits of dark theme, it has been found to be soothing in dark environment. Dark Mode has also been found as a smart way to conserve battery life.

If you have an iPhone or an Android phone then you don’t need to wait for the next-gen operating system. You can activate dark mode through certain compatible apps. It is important to note that WhatsApp is working on a native dark mode for its application. The feature is not yet available beyond a handful of beta users. However, there are some clever ways to enable dark theme on WhatsApp right now. The experience may not be as integrated as one would expect, but it is worth checking out.

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How to enable WhatsApp’s dark mode on iPhone

To enable WhatsApp’s dark mode on iPhone, you first need to ensure that your iDevice is running iOS 11 or the newer version. In order to do so, go to Settings -> General -> Software Update. Make sure that your iPhone is running the newest version of Apple’s mobile software.

Step 1: Now head over to Settings -> General -> Accessibility -> Display -> Accommodations -> Invert Colors -> Smart Invert. As you can observe, this is a software workaround, which will become redundant with the release of iOS 13.

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How to enable WhatsApp’s dark mode on Android

This might come as a disappointment. In order to get dark mode running on Android, you will need the latest Android Q beta. In other words, you will need Google’s Pixel or any of the 15 other compatible devices. Considering Android’s slow software update cycle, most Android users will be better off waiting for native dark mode. If you have Android Q device then here is how you can enable dark theme.

Step 2: Once you have enabled dark theme on Android, you will need to enable developer options to grant access. You can do so by going to Settings -> About Phone. Here, scroll down to ‘Build Number’ and tap on it few times till you see a pop-up message saying “Developer Options” is turned on.

Step 3: Once Developer Options is enabled, go to ‘Override force-dark’ and click on it. This will ensure that you are able to force dark theme within WhatsApp.

Step 4: The above step activates dark theme for WhatsApp on Android Q. However, to get full fledged experience, ensure you use a dark wallpaper as background for the messaging service.

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Should you activate dark mode on WhatsApp?

Let’s be realistic. Activating dark mode is not gonna result in some person texting you out of a blue. There is also no proof that it will save battery life in a big way. Since WhatsApp is still working on a native dark theme, you should probably wait for that update. However, if you are impatient or want to stay ahead of the curve, the above steps will help you go dark.